The city of Detroit fired its chief bus safety officer Wednesday after he blew the whistle on a top Department of Transportation official for allegedly showing up drunk at a transit center, berating employees, assaulting a security guard, and driving off in a city-issued car.
Mayor Mary Sheffield’s administration notified DDOT Chief Safety Officer Corey Holmes, who oversees safety for buses and their passengers, that he was terminated for “misrepresentation of authority” after conducting his own investigation into the erratic behavior of DDOT Chief of Staff Jennie Whitfield.
DDOT Executive Director Robert Cramer suspended Holmes on March 9, just six hours after Metro Times began asking questions about Whitfield.
The decision raised eyebrows because Whitfield was allowed to return to work and continue driving her city-issued car, despite allegations that she drove it while intoxicated. In the past, city employees accused of drunk driving were prohibited from using city vehicles pending an investigation.
After Metro Times exposed the unequal treatment, the city fired Whitfield on March 13.
Cramer has countered that he had every right to investigate safety concerns and was protected by a 2014 executive order issue that explicitly states that employees who make good-faith reports or assist in workplace violence investigations cannot be retaliated against.
The chain of events began shortly before midnight in late January, when security guards and other employees said Whitfield...
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